I Loved Her First
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: I prayed that she'd find you someday, but it's still hard to give her away...


Okay, people, I think it's finally happening. I've lost my ever freakin' loving mind. (Essy, Paige, and Dani nod) Yeah, yeah, yeah. Anyways, I was going through my stories, and I spotted this one, which I could've sworn I'd already posted. I checked and rechecked my story list, and apparently, I didn't post this one. (shrugs) Oh well. I wrote this one a few months ago, so it conflicts a little with Amends. But anyway, enjoy, and please remember to review. The song used in here is Heartland's I Loved Her First.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

John Eames watched through tears as Bobby led Alex out onto the dance floor, pulling her close to him. Just an hour ago, he had placed a ring on her finger, and now she was Alex Goren. He had given her away and watched her vow to love, honor and cherish the man in front of her, and he had done the same.

He continued to watch them sway gently in time to the music, lost in each other's eyes. Alex's arms were wrapped around Bobby's neck, and his hands were resting securely on her small waist. She moved her head to rest against his chest, and he gently rested his chin on the top of her head.

He watched them move in slow circles, and he brushed a tear from his eye. She was no longer his baby. She was a grown woman, no matter how much he wished and hoped that she was seven years old again, and his biggest worry was her falling off of her bike as she learned how to ride without training wheels. She deserved this happiness, after losing a husband and giving the child that she had carried for nine months to her sister.

Look at the two of you dancing that way

Lost in the moment in each other's face

So much in love, you're alone in this place

Like there's nobody else in the world

Tears stung his eyes as he watched them, and he quickly swiped at them, running one hand through his graying hair. As they continued to dance, he remembered how he had once been the center of her world, just like she still was his.

But now everything was different. He knew in his heart that she still loved him as much as she always had, but Bobby was now the one who held her heart in the palm of his hand. But deep inside, he knew that she also held Bobby's heart, and neither of them would hurt the other.

In many ways, he was also thankful. This was what he had prayed for her every night from the day she was born. That one man would come to her, and would worship and love her like she deserved, and better. But it didn't make this part any easier. He was losing the daughter that had had him wrapped around her finger from the day she was born.

No, he wasn't losing her, he corrected himself. She was still there, and she would still come to their house for different occasions. There would just be somebody else with her. And it wasn't as though Bobby Goren was a complete stranger. For over eight years, she had brought him around regularly, enough so that her little nephew called him Uncle Bobby, and he and his wife considered him a son.

I was enough for her not long ago

I was her number one, she told me so

And she still means the world to me, just so you know

So be careful when you hold my girl

He watched as Bobby gently raised Alex's chin and kissed her softly, and he was proud. Proud that her daughter had found such a good man to love and cherish her for the rest of their lives.

And he knew that he would. Even if he didn't like giving away his daughter, he knew that he couldn't have picked a better man to give her to. From the day she was born, he had been terrified of all of her firsts. Her first steps, her first big girl bike, her first dance. But for some reason, he wasn't as afraid as he thought he should have been.

When she had married Joe, he had been more apprehensive, but now, he was just sad. Sad that he would never give her another piggy back ride, or put another dollar under her pillow for the tooth fairy.

But she was grown up, and she was more than capable of making her own choices. He had confidence in her. After all, he was the one who had raised her. And he knew that he had done the best job he could have done.

Time changes everything, life must go on

And I'm not gonna stand in your way

I loved her first, I held her first

And a place in my heart will always be hers

From the first breath she breathed

When she first smiled at me

I knew the love of a father runs deep

And I prayed that she'd find you someday

But it's still hard to give her away

I loved her first

He looked at his daughter, and for a brief moment, he saw that seven year old little girl running up to him with her arms outstretched. He saw her strawberry blond pigtails, her two missing front teeth, and the smatter of freckles that stayed with her until junior high.

He closed his eyes, and he saw her first day of kindergarten, then junior high. He saw her first day of high school, her graduation, and her first day at the police academy. He saw an awkward, knobby kneed little tomboy transform into a beautiful, proud woman that he sometimes couldn't believe he had a hand in creating.

He could hear the phone call that told him she had been paired up with the "weirdo" newbie of Major Case with a habit of sniffing corpses and a reputation that preceded him, and he could hear himself laughing as he told her to invite him to dinner with the family so he could size him up.

How could that beautiful woman with you

Be the same freckled face kid that I knew?

The one that I read all those fairytales to

And tucked into bed all those nights

And, if he thought back to that first meeting, when Alex had brought her new partner home for dinner and introduced him to her family, he knew. He could see the way that he would steal glances at her, almost as though he couldn't believe that she was real.

Even then, he knew that they would be more than partners. It was only a matter of time.

So when he called and invited John to dinner just over a year ago, he wasn't surprised when a stammering Bobby asked for his permission to marry his daughter. And he had given it to him with his blessing, knowing that his daughter would be well loved by the man in front of him.

And now there they were, dancing happily in each other's arms, holding each other and smiling as though there was no one else in the entire world.

And I knew the first time I saw you with her

It was only a matter of time

I loved her first, I held her first

And a place in my heart will always be hers

From the first breath she breathed

When she first smiled at me

I knew the love of a father runs deep

And I prayed that she'd find you someday

But it's still hard to give her away

I loved her first

A year later, John Eames walked down the hall of the hospital, his heart racing as he finally reached the maternity ward. A large figure stood in front of the mirrors that peered into the nursery, and John smiled and walked a little faster.

Bobby saw him coming, and he carefully turned and smiled widely at his father in law.

"How is she?" John asked anxiously, and Bobby chuckled.

"She's fine. Exhausted and beautiful," Bobby assured him, carefully shifting the tiny bundle that was carefully cradled in his arms.

"What did she give you?"

Bobby's smile grew even wider, and he said softly, "A beautiful, perfect little girl." He carefully pulled the corner of the blanket away from the baby's face, and John smiled happily at his new granddaughter.

He reached for her, and Bobby carefully laid the baby in John's arms. And for a moment, it was almost as though he were holding his own newborn daughter again. "She's beautiful, Bobby," he murmured, touching the baby's cheek.

Bobby beamed and said, "Her name's Emily Faith Goren."

"Beautiful name. Hi there, Emmy. You're the most beautiful baby in the world, yes you are," John cooed, and the baby gurgled and extended her arms to Bobby.

As Bobby took his daughter back into his arms, John could see a younger version of himself in the man in front of him, and he knew that he would make a wonderful father to the little baby he was holding.

"You'll do just fine, Bobby," John murmured, squeezing the younger man's arm affectionately.

"Thank you, sir."

John smiled at his son, then kissed the baby's forehead and walked towards his daughter's room. Before he stepped inside, he turned and looked at Bobby, who was cooing at his first child.

"Yeah, you'll be fine," he whispered as he walked into the room to see his daughter.

_From the first breath she breathed_

_When she first smiled at me_

_I knew the love of a father runs deep_

_Someday you might know what I'm going through_

_When a miracle smiles up at you_

_I loved her first_

The End

A/N: Well, I hope everyone enjoyed that, though I'm still a bit confused as to how I could've overlooked it... (scratches head) Oh well. Another mystery of life. Along with the location of my missing left shoe... It's been over a year!


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